


Our Family

by alafaye



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-06
Updated: 2012-09-27
Packaged: 2017-11-13 15:51:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/505179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The school year has begun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the LJ community hd-and-sons and their Back To Hogwarts challenge. 
> 
> Also fills the "swimming" square for a bingo card.

Albus took a deep breath, floating on his back toward the middle of the pond behind the house. Near the bank, he could hear James and Lily in the middle of a fight about something or other. Tomorrow they were off to Diagon Alley to pick up their school supplies and get Scorpius and Albus both new robes--they'd each had a growth spurt over the summer and their old robes wouldn't fit properly now.

"Hey," Scorpius said as he swam up to Albus. "All right?"

Albus shifted so he was upright, looking at Scorpius. "Fine. Just...the summer's over, you know?"

Scorpius shrugged. "Yeah, but it'll be good, right? Going back to Hogwarts."

Albus nodded. Like their fathers, Albus and Scorpius both felt a certain sense of belonging to the castle. James and Lily did, too, in their own way as many of the students did. But Albus and Scorpius just plain felt like they were part of the castle, the magic of it. Dad said it meant that one day, Albus would teaching at Hogwarts, too. _Another Albus_ Draco had said with an eye roll. _Are you sure Hogwarts will be ready?_

"Going back home," Albus said with a smile.

Scorpius beamed. "Come on. I think we're about to be forced to take sides."

Albus followed Scorpius across the lake, matching each other stride for stride. They had always been that way, in tune; strength matching weakness, magic stronger together, the best pair of Beaters Hogwarts had seen since Fred and George Weasley. Albus had met Scorpius on their first train ride to school, both unaware of their fathers' school animosity, and they'd been fast friends ever since. It was because of their friendship that their dads had gotten together...in a very complex and messy way.

It was good, now, though. Albus got to live with his best friend all year and Lily and James had a new brother. Mum was off touring with the Quidditch teams, stopping in for quick visits that were always welcome; Scorpius' mum picked Scorpius up at the beginning of the summer for a two week vacation. Scorpius was always excited about going, but nearly always came back depressed. (Albus thought that Astoria was rude and impolite and the opposite of all of them, but Scorpius was very tight lipped about his mum and their relationship.)

"All right, you two," Albus said as he stood up in the shallows. "What happened now?"

~~~

Draco shook his head as he caught sight of the sudden appearance of a net and a ball in the pond. "Guess what the kids are up to?"

Harry looked over from the pot where he was using the last of the summer veg for soup. "They can't be serious?"

Draco turned back to the bread he was slicing. "At least they're having fun."

"Getting along you mean," Harry muttered. He turned down the hob so the soup could simmer and he settled against the counter nearby. "I never thought they would--James tried to run you both off when you moved here."

Draco hummed at that. It hadn't been an easy road to travel, that had been for sure. Draco hadn't believed the letter Scorpius had sent him after his sorting--friends with a Potter? One that looked nearly identical to _the_ Potter? Scorpius had begged to go to Albus' house over his first Easter break and Draco had found it out of his hands when he received a letter from Harry saying it was fine with him if Scorpius visited for a few days over the Easter break. 

Draco and Harry had been polite to the point of painful that first time, neither sure of what to say or how to act. The past was in the past, bygones be bygones and all that. They were merely two fathers whose sons had decided to be friends. But the past was still there. No matter that it had really been nothing more than a schoolyard animosity, Draco had played a few key roles in the war. But Harry had been polite and assured Draco that Scorpius would be fine, they weren't going to go anywhere, that the boys would probably spend their days together in the backyard.

Then there had been three weeks in the summer. And a few days after Christmas. The next Easter break, though, Albus came and stayed with Draco and Scorpius at the Manor. It was supposed to have been the entire vacation, but Harry showed up with his other two kids and declared that the Manor was too big for three people--never mind two--and they needed to be out having fun somewhere else.

Draco had gone along with the plan and ended up spending the rest of the break with the Potters at their house. It had been crowded and noisy and nothing at all like what Draco was used to, but he somehow found a little space to fit into. Scorpius was clearly at home, never separated for long from Albus, the two always off on some adventure or other. James had settled completely into the role of sullen teen and Lily was just old enough to still be shy but happy to be included in everything.

When Draco returned to the Manor after seeing Scorpius off, he realized how quiet and how empty the Manor was. Had been. His parents had died when Scorpius was four from complications of the curses and hexes they'd received during the war. It had become even quieter with Scorpius at Hogwarts. Astoria had left years ago, traveling and doing whatever she wanted.

There had been no question when Draco received an offer to teach Potions at Hogwarts. 

As Harry was the Defense teacher, they'd been forced into polite conversation over meals and in the staff room between classes. It had quickly become a friendship that later become a romantic relationship. They'd announced their relationship to the children a year later, during the summer break. The previous break, Draco and Scorpius had stayed with the Potters rather than go to the Manor and it had been a very easy summer. Moving in after announcing their relationship had been seamless.

"Hey," Harry said quietly.

Draco blinked and looked up. "Hmm?"

"You left," Harry said.

Draco flushed and cleared his throat. He resumed cutting the bread. "I'm fine. Just got lost in some memories."

"Of us?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Our family," Draco said, firmly not looking up. He had never been comfortable saying those words or even mentioning that they were in fact one family. Harry's divorce from Ginny had been difficult despite the fact that they had grown apart. They'd only been separated when Harry and Draco had got together, but Ginny only stayed at the house from time to time when her schedule allowed it. Much like Astoria, Ginny liked traveling, seeing new places and meeting new people. Harry, like Draco, preferred being home, with family and make memories with close loved ones. Which is not to say that Ginny and Astoria loved their children any less--just, differently. 

Harry and Draco had been made for making a new family, for bringing everyone together. Christmas was usually chaotic--Harry and Draco plus the kids plus Ginny and Astoria and whomever else from the Weasleys decided to pop in (Draco shuddered, remembering last year when they had hosted all of the Weasleys, et. al., once again resolving to never ever do that again) and there were a few days here and there when everyone was together. But usually it was just them and the kids.

Draco wondered what they would do when the kids moved out and it was just them.

All though from the way the Headmistress had been talking, Albus and Severus might just never leave Hogwarts. The Quidditch post would need a new teacher soon and Madame Pomfrey was hinting about taking on an apprentice before she retired, the apprentice naturally then taking over.

"Our family," Harry whispered. He leaned over the kitchen island and gave Draco a soft kiss. "I never get tired of hearing that."

Draco smiled in agreement.

~~~

"But why do we have to take the train?" James asked. "I know that you could just take us there--the school rules allow it if the students' parents are professors."

Harry sighed and rubbed his temple. Draco frowned and raised an eyebrow. Albus, Scorpius, and Lily had already left to find their friends, but James was determined to not go on the train for some reason or another. _Teenagers_. He was very appreciative that none of the other kids had decided to rebel.

"Don't you want to catch up with your friends?" Harry suggested. "I'm sure they want to catch up with you."

James crossed his arms over his chest and looked away. "They don't."

Draco narrowed his eyes, a suspicion blooming in the back of his mind. James was very close to one of the other Weasleys--Bill's youngest, he thought--and Isolde Jones. Draco had noticed that something seemed to change in the group at the year had come to a close last year, but he hadn't been able to find out. He looked away from James and Harry and found James' friends at the other end of the platform. They were holding hands and looking very nervous.

"Looks like they want to talk to you, actually," Draco said.

James turned to where Draco was pointing and he scowled. "I knew it. Fucking knew it."

"James," Harry hissed. "Language." He frowned. "Looks like they're very nervous. I think you should talk to them."

James' scowl deepened. "Of course you'd side with them! You would--you sided with Draco when Mum came back to try to fix whatever happened between you."

"When--what?" Harry blinked. "What are you talking about? Your mum--"

Draco quickly put his hand on Harry's arm and shook his head. Now was not the time or place. Harry sighed. "James, at least try to listen to them? I'm sure you'll find nothing has changed."

James shook his head. "No. I don't want to listen to anything they have to say. Or you!" He stormed away onto the train, ignoring his friends as he passed them.

"Well," Harry said.

Draco patted his arm. "Later, Harry. I'm sure it'll be fine once he gets things sorted with his friends."

Harry cut him a dark look. "I think it's more than that, Draco. He clearly wanted Ginny and me to get back together."

"Later. All right? We have to get back to the castle to hear the usual speech, remember?"

Harry groaned.

~~~

Albus was beaming as he took his seat in the Great Hall. Beside him, Scorpius was nearly vibrating in excitement. "I missed this."

"What, the food?" Ben Jordan teased, sitting across from them.

"Hogwarts," Scorpius said in a near reverent whisper.

"Man, you need to get out more," Will Mcgillan said with a shake of his head. "This? This is torture--classes and reading and homework and _research_." He shuddered.

"On the other hand, there is Vanessa Thomas," Ben said, watching her enter the hall with her friends. It had been agreed last year among the boys that Vanessa was one of the prettiest girls in Hogwarts, if not the prettiest.

"Yeah," Will sighed.

Albus rolled his eyes. The noise in the room grew as students began to catch up until the doors opened as Professor Brown led the first years in to be sorted and then the headmistress gave out her usual introduction.

"And on a final note, please welcome Professor Lupin," she said with a smile. "He's here for the year--Professor Cummings decided to retire a year early."

Teddy stood up with a grin and Albus mouth dropped open. Scorpius leaned toward him. "Did you know about that?"

Albus shook his head, clapping absently. He hadn't even seen Ted at the table, though that wasn't a surprise, but he was glad to see Ted. He had been in Europe studying dragons--Albus wondered if maybe he was back to try to help with the current legislation to reintroduce dragons to England.

"His classes should be good, though," Albus said with a grin.

Scorpius nodded enthusiastically.

~~~

Draco trailed his hand along the stone wall, humming to the feeling of Hogwarts under his hand, his feet, in the air around his head. It was like a warm quilt, the taste of tea, the smell of blooming flowers. Comfort. Home. Peace.

"I missed her," Harry whispered. "It doesn't matter how long I've been away, I always miss her."

Draco smiled. "And all the kids are here."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah. I can't believe Ted didn't tell us he was going to be here this year."

They had known Professor Cummings was going to be retiring a year early, but not who would be taking his post. McGonagall had been very tight lipped about that. Now they knew why. Draco had met Theodore Lupin two years ago, when they had been invited to visit the reserve where the French Ministry had been setting up a new program for children interested in dragons. 

"I think this will be a good year," Draco said.

Harry hummed and the magic in the air seemed to make its own noise of agreement. Draco smiled.


	2. Changing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teddy tries to connect with James and Scorpius has an admirer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for [week 2](http://hd-and-sons.livejournal.com/47598.html?view=114414#t114414) of prompts for the Back to Hogwarts Challenge at , "classes and classrooms".

James kicked a rock down the path as he walked toward the day's first class--Care of Magical Creatures. Up ahead, Norman and Isolde were holding hands and whispering. They looked back at him and he scowled. They frowned and turned away.

"Stupid gits," James said. He gave the rock a vicious kick and it skidded away. "Stupid rock."

"Is everything stupid today or just you?" Maisy asked as she caught up to him.

"What's that mean?" he demanded.

She raised a cool eyebrow. "You've been nothing but a jerk this entire month, James. No one wants to hang out with you."

No, no one did, did they? Dad had Draco now, Albus and Scorpius were still _best friends_ , Lily had just discovered boys, and now Norm and Isolde didn't need him. "Then why don't you go away?"

Maisy frowned. "Because I think you still need a friend."

"I don't need any friends," James said, lifting his chin. 

"Well, fine, then," she said. "I'll go. But don't you come crying to me when you realize you need a friend."

He clenched his jaw as she walked away. He didn't need anyone. He didn't.

~~~

"All right, class, gather around now," Ted--or rather, Professor Lupin now--said. "We covered in the last month dragons, unicorns, and wyverns. This week, we're going to be looking at another creature famous in stories--the gryffin."

He beckoned them to an enclosed space where the gryffin--eight feet tall and with a mean look in its eye--was waiting. The gryffin looked at the students one by one and seemed to smirk.

"Don't get too close, now," Professor Lupin said. "He's not quite tame. Now, does anyone know what story the gryffin is famous for?"

James tuned out the question and the answers that were thrown out. All his life, he'd loved reading and discovering magical creatures. He'd read up on them in his second year in some free time. There was no easy way to approach a gryffin--one had to wait for it to come to you. James dismissed it and slunked around to the back of the group to be unnoticed until his next class.

So lost in his thoughts about Arithmancy, he barely noticed when class was dismissed. He grabbed his bag and shuffled in line with the rest of the group.

"James?" Professor Lupin called.

James blinked and turned around. "Sir?"

Professor Lupin smiled kindly and waved him over. "Walk with me back to the school. I wanted to ask how you're doing."

James stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I dunno. I'm fine, I guess."

Teddy hummed. "Really? You didn't seem all that good when you were talking with Maisy Jones. Is she bothering you?"

"You think a girl would really bother me?" James said, kind of insulted. He wasn't the sort of boy who would be bullied, never mind by a _girl_.

"I dunno," Teddy said. "Would one?"

"Look, she's just mad at me," James said. "It's not a big deal."

"Why's she mad at you? Did you do something?"

James wrinkled his nose. "She said I've been a jerk lately." He flushed when Teddy raised an eyebrow. "I suppose I have been, but it's none of her business, is it?"

"Unless you've been a jerk to her," Teddy said. "Have you?"

"Not really," James said. "I don't know her too well--she's only in a few of my classes and she's not in my house."

"So just being a general jerk all around then?" Teddy asked.

"Not on purpose," James muttered, looking at the ground.

"Do you want to talk about anything?" Teddy offered.

No, he didn't. Because there wasn't anything to talk about. It wasn't James' fault that no one wanted to hang out with him anymore. "Everything's fine."

Teddy nodded. "All right." As they approached the doors, Teddy stopped and put his hand on James' shoulder. "How about you come to my quarters tonight? Catch up and all that. I missed you, you know."

James brightened. "That'd be great. Thanks!"

Teddy smiled. "Good. I'll see you at seven, just after dinner. Unless you have some homework to do."

"That's fine. Thanks again!"

~~~

Albus looked up as a shadow fell over the table where he was studying with Scorpius. Scorpius' question about the fifth law of healing draughts stuttered to a halt.

"Oh, hi, Vanessa," Albus said with a smile. "Do you want to join in? We were just going over some questions for potions later."

Vanessa winced. "I had forgotten about the test, thanks for that."

Albus shrugged. "Sorry." He didn't sound apologetic.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned to Scorpius. "I actually wanted to ask Scorpius if he'd like to go with me to Hogsmeade this weekend."

Scorpius blinked and looked at Albus who was wide eyed. He turned back to Vanessa. "You mean, like with Albus and me?" Albus kicked his leg. 

Vanessa's shoulders fell. "Oh, well, if you'd want. I was thinking it could just be you and me."

Oh. Scorpius shrugged. "Uh, yeah. Sure. I'd like that."

She grinned and giggled. "Okay. Good. Saturday. Yeah." She giggled again and left, rejoining her friends at another table. She said something and they all giggled as they looked over.

Albus slammed shut a book. "Well."

Scorpius blinked. "What just happened?"

"You agreed to break our standing tradition of going to Hogsmeade together to go with some girl," Albus said darkly.

Scorpius' leg belatedly reminded him that he had been kicked just a short while ago. "Is that what she was asking?"

Albus' head fell forward into his palm. "You are so stupid sometimes, Scorpius."

"I better go tell her I misunderstood," Scorpius said.

"You can't do that, you berk," Albus said. "Just tell her on Saturday you only think of her as a friend."

Scopius frowned. "But I don't. I mean, I don't even know her that well."

Albus sighed and held up their note cards. "Forget Vanessa and Saturday. Let's just think about this test, yeah?"

Scopius was only too ready for that.


	3. What?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one can keep up anymore...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Week 3 at the LJ community hd-and-sons, "Quidditch".

James knocked twice on Ted's door and it swung open, as if Ted had been waiting for him. James' stomach twisted a bit at the thought. Ted was smiling widely as he held open the door, dressed not in his teaching robes, but simple jeans and shirt. James tugged on his own robes, feeling awkward.

"Hey," Ted said. "Come on in--the house elves just left us a bit of snack until dinner."

Ted closed the door behind James and showed him through to a small sitting room where a fire blazed against the chill air. A coffee table was set with tea and pastries. James' stomach rumbled and he flushed.

Ted laughed. "I remember being your age. Seemed like I couldn't eat enough and you're a Weasley, you must be starved. Go on."

James ate one pastry in one bite and took another three to sit on the edge of the saucer for his tea. "Thanks." He sat on the couch and fidgeted. It had been years since he last saw Ted--when he was growing up, he had been like another member of the family even though he technically lived with his grandmother. But when he'd received an invitation to set up dragon reserves in Europe, he had visited only rarely, busy with the new job. James didn't mind being the oldest, but he sometimes missed when Teddy was around--they used to have their own adventures and their own Quidditch competitions. 

Ted was studying him over his cup of tea. "I heard that you've become a bit of an odd duck since I left."

James raised his eyebrows. "A--what?"

Ted chuckled. "Black sheep? The odd one left out?"

James shrugged. "I suppose." Ted raised an eyebrow and James sighed. "It's just--Mum and Dad split up, you know? And instead of trying to make things better, Dad decides he's a poof and he got together with Draco. I don't get it. Dad and Mum were...so..." James waved his hand, not wanting to exactly say that his parents had been in love because one didn't really want to think about that.

Ted frowned in thought. "I remember they had their fair share of fights."

"But don't all couples do that?" James asked.

"Sometimes," Ted said. "And sometimes it means that they're just too different. People change, James, and it may hurt, but people realize that who they loved, they don't any more."

James sighed. "I just don't understand. Mum told me that she wanted to work things out with Dad, but by then, he had Draco. I mean--"

"We can't help our hearts, James," Ted said. "It hurts when you're caught in the middle, but it happens."

James growled. "I wish Dad had just made up with Mum."

"Why?"

"Because then Draco and Scorpius wouldn't have moved in," James said. "Mum would still be living with us instead of on her own."

"Oh, is that all?"

James narrowed his eyes. "Everything changed when Dad decided he wanted Draco instead of Mum. Now Albus is spending all his time with Scorpius, Mum is off doing whatever, Dad has Draco."

"And now your best friends are dating, yes?" Ted said calmly.

Ted's calm ignited something in James that he hadn't known could. His cup went flying, the pastries included, as he stood up. "You don't get it!"

"You feel left out," Ted said quietly. He put his own cup aside and sat back. "Everyone has someone special, other things to be done. Yeah?"

Did he feel left out? James let out a heavy breath and closed his eyes. "It's just..."

"I'm sorry," Ted said.

James blinked and frowned. "Er, what?"

"I'm sorry. I should have kept in touch when I left. You used to be my best friend, but then I started working and I never seemed to find the time."

James swallowed hard. Ted thought they had been best friends? There were several years between them and James had always thought that Ted was too cool to consider him his best friend. Though James would admit it had hurt a little when Ted hadn't kept in touch. He shrugged. "It's all right. I'm sure working with dragons is had work."

"It is, but certainly not as important as writing to the important people in one's life," Ted said. He set James' cup to rights and refilled both their cups.

James bit his lip. "Are you staying in England?"

"Probably," Ted said. "We're hoping to set up a dragon reserve here in Scotland. Not near the school, of course. We're hoping to rebuild the population of native dragons."

"That's great!" James said. 

"We might be looking for some interns if it works out," Ted hinted, smirking.

Working with dragons? With Ted? James grinned. "That'd be great."

Ted winked. "Then I'll make sure to hold you a spot. Now, tell me everything you've gotten up to while I was being stupid and not writing."

~~~

Albus knocked the quaffle away with enough force that it almost hit one of the beaters on his own team. 

"Watch it!" Derek called with a scowl.

Albus turned his broom the other way, keeping an eye out for the quaffle and stray bludgers. His team were watching him out of the corner of their eyes, but he was carefully not looking in the stands where Vanessa had oh so innocently decided to sit next to Scorpius. It wasn't enough that she had asked Scorpius to Hogsmeade--which everyone knew was a sacred tradition for Albus and Scorpius--but now she was intruding on their Quidditch time. Okay, so Scorpius didn't play (he couldn't fly well either for that matter), but every practice, Scorpius was there, watching.

Despite Albus pointedly not watching, he saw Vanessa say something and Scorpius laughed. Albus growled and turned his broom the other way. He didn't know why exactly he was angry about them, but he didn't like it. One bit.

"Oi! Potter!" Ryan, the team captain, called. "Head in the game, not your boyfriend!"

Albus flushed and there were a few twitters from the other players and the audience. He flashed them a two fingered salute and forced himself to concentrate. 

~~~

"Boyfriend?" Vanessa asked, blushing. "I didn't, I mean. A-are you two together?"

Scorpius blinked. "What?"

"Oh, no," she moaned. "I didn't think, I should have asked. Should've known actually. You two are always together and neither of you have ever had a girlfriend. Damn it. Kate told me to make sure, she said you two have been dating since second year, but I didn't think that was true."

Scorpius tried to separate all of that into something coherent and when the picture came through, he blushed. "Oh! Oh you mean--no! I mean, Albus and I aren't dating. We're just friends."

Kate's face cleared into something hopeful. "Really?"

Scorpius nodded. "Really. He's my best friend, but we're really only friends."

"Oh. Well all right then. So our date--we're still going, right?"

"Yeah."

She giggled and kissed his cheek. "Good."

He blushed.

~~~

Albus scowled. She had kissed Scorpius! Right in front of everybody! 

"Shit, Al! Watch out!"

He turned just in time to catch a bludger to his face.

~~~

Harry rubbed his face with his hands and groaned. "At least we made it to a new record," he muttered.

Draco chuckled and handed him a finger of scotch. "A whole month this time. Congratulations."

Harry took the glass with a scowl. "It's not funny."

"Well, if you Potters weren't such trouble magnets, it wouldn't be," Draco said with a wink and a smirk.

Harry sighed and sat back. "At least it's only superficial. He'll be out in time for afternoon classes."

"And not miss the great date," Draco said.

"Date? What date?" Harry asked. Albus had never dated anyone. In fact, he'd never shown any particular interest in anyone except... "With Scorpius?"

Draco shook his head. "No. It's not his date. Vanessa Thomas asked Scorpius to Hogsmeade."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "So?" True, Albus and Scorpius had never gone to Hogsmeade with anyone else but each other. On the other hand, they were of the age when dates happened and Hogsmeade was a nice place to go if one was in school and dating.

"I heard the students saying that Albus had been distracted by Ms. Thomas kissing Scorpius' cheek and that's why he got hit with the bludger," Draco said. He sounded far too amused. "Shortly before, Albus had been reminded to keep an eye on the game and not on the two lovebirds."

Harry pulled Draco down onto his lap and smirked. "You suspect something."

"I suspect that Albus is soon going to realize something and that our boys will soon be in a bit of trouble," Draco said.

"You don't think--"

Draco hummed. "I certainly do."

Harry shook his head. Albus and Scorpius. "We'll see."

Someone knocked on their door and Harry reluctantly let Draco up to answer it. They had had far too little time together with the start of the term and he had relished the quiet moment. He knocked back the scotch and set the glass aside. He chuckled, still thinking over Albus and Scorpius together.

"His children amuse him," Draco drawled from the doorway.

Harry looked up and smiled. "Teddy!"

Teddy sighed and shook his head. "It's Ted, now. Remember?"

Harry waved his hand. "Yeah, yeah. Because you're an adult and Teddy is a name for children. Doesn't matter to me, you're still one of my kids."

"Harry," Teddy warned. Harry smirked. 

"Drink?" Draco offered. "Since you are an adult."

"Please," Teddy said with a smirk toward Harry. He accepted the tumbler from Draco and sat on one of the chairs. "So what about the kids amuse you?"

Draco refilled Harry's glass and settled on the arm of Harry's chair. "Albus and Scorpius. One of the other students has set her sights on Scorpius and Albus is realizing that it may not be something he's okay with."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "Another generation of a Potter-Malfoy relationship? This should be interesting."

"We'll see," Harry said. "It could just be that Albus isn't ready to accept that he and Scorpius are growing up."

"And we'll see if you'll be sleeping on the sofa when you're proven wrong," Draco teased.

Teddy chuckled. "I talked with James."

Harry sat straighter. The conversation with his oldest before he'd boarded the train still echoed through his head and he hadn't had time to talk with James on his own. "How is he?"

Teddy shrugged. "Confused. Upset. Angry. In other words, like any other teenage boy."

Harry sighed. "He said something about how he thought his mum and I should have worked things out."

"A lot of kids who have divorced parents feel that way, Harry," Draco said. "I've had a few in my classes."

"He'll be fine," Teddy said. "It's a difficult time for him, anyway. This is his last year of Hogwarts and he'll soon be out in the world, making his own way. But it's scary. And his friends are discovering their own things, as they will. He's at that age, you know?"

Harry sighed and nodded. "I suppose."

Draco kissed the top of his head. "It'll all be fine, Dad."

"His grades are excellent--I'm going to have him down as one of the first interns if we get the reserve up and running," Teddy said. "I mentioned it and he's excited."

"He always did love his uncle Charlie," Harry said. "And magical creatures."

"He'll fit right in," Teddy said.

"About the reserve, I've only heard a little of it and only because of how close it'll be to Hogwarts," Draco said. "Can you share anything?"

Teddy smirked.


	4. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is week 4 of the Back to Hogwarts challenge at the LJ community hd-and-sons.
> 
> The story is now complete.

Scorpius was a little confused. Well, okay, a lot confused. He had met Vanessa in the Great Hall before walking down to Hogsmeade; on the way down, she slid her hands into his and slotted their fingers together. Which was all right, he supposed. Then she had started talking--about her friends and school and other things. Scorpius was a quiet person and he and Albus had shared many nights just sitting in silence while they did school work or read or played chess. He hoped that his meager words were somewhat helpful, but he wasn't sure since it didn't seem like Vanessa ever stopped talking.

He wondered why she hadn't talked this much before, when they were watching the Quidditch practice.

The magic of Hogsmeade had long since faded for Scorpius and he usually went just to get out of the school. Albus would usually drag him to get some sweets and a few things from his uncle's shop, but they would spend most of the trip in The Three Broomsticks, sipping butterbeer. But it seemed that Vanessa was determined to go into every shop, chatting with everyone and buying a little of this and that. 

Scorpius was bored within an hour and soon confused. He knew that Vanessa was one of the prettest girls in school, but that was it for him. Late nights in the dorm room and over hearing conversations assured him that if he liked a girl, he should be happy to spend time with her. Maybe want to have time alone with her, snogging her. But all he felt was a great sense of boredom and he certainly did not want to do anything with her. In fact, holding her hand felt...he didn't know. Just not right.

Luckily, Vanessa seemed to catch on and she stopped them just outside Madame Puddifoot's tea shop. 

"Scorpius, is it all right if I kiss you?" she asked, bitting her lip.

He shrugged and nodded. She huffed and leaned forward. She smelled like flowers and it made his nose itch; her lips were sticky with lip gloss and it was kind of uncomfortable with her breasts pushing against him.

She stopped after only a moment and stepped away, hand sliding out of his. "Well?"

He shuffled his feet. "Well what?"

She frowned. "You don't want more?"

He blinked and swallowed hard. "I...no?"

She took a deep breath and crossed her arms over her chest. "I think this was a bad idea."

"I'm sorry." He didn't know what for, exactly, but it felt like the right thing to say.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm going inside. Maybe you should go find Albus."

He watched her go, quickly finding a group who welcomed her, and he walked over to The Three Broomsticks. After a couple of hours, this was where Albus should be. He scanned the room and half smiled when he finally found Albus. He slid into the seat across from him.

"Hey," he said.

Albus looked up, chin in his hand. "Where's Vanessa?"

"With her friends," Scorpius said. "She tried to kiss me."

Albus snorted and looked down again. "I noticed."

Scorpius frowned. "What's up with you?"

Albus sighed and sat up straighter. "Nothing."

"You've been acting weird, you know," Scorpius said, narrowing his eyes. He leaned forward. "In fact, you've been acting weird ever since Vanessa asked me out."

Albus scrubbed his face. "Leave it, all right? Just leave it."

Scorpius drummed his fingers on the table, thinking, but he let it go. They sat in silence as a waitress brought him his own butterbeer until Scorpius realized that he could just ask Albus about snogging. "Hey, um, do you think it's weird that I didn't want to snog Vanessa?"

Albus blinked several times, lost. "You didn't?"

Scorpius shrugged. "Not really. Don't think I really want to snog any girls. Isn't that weird, though? That I don't want to?"

Albus licked his lips. "Well, is it that you don't want to snog anyone or is it just girls?"

"What do you mean, just girls?"

"I mean, have you thought about kissing boys?"

Oh, that. Scorpius shrugged. "I haven't, but I dunno if I would."

Albus bit his lip. "Okay, how about this? You said that you don't want to snog any girls, yeah? Have you ever fancied a girl? Or even anyone?"

Scorpius swallowed hard and looked down at the table, scratched up as it was. He idly traced one of them, thinking. Last year, there had been a transfer student from Durmstrang and Scorpius had been right there with the girls, swooning over him. "Yeah, a boy, actually."

"Did you want to snog him?"

At the time, the thought hadn't crossed Scorpius' mind, but now that Albus mentioned it, he supposed he would want to. "Yeah."

"Well, then, maybe you're just gay," Albus said with a note finality in his voice.

Scorpius looked up. He'd heard that once or twice--kind of hard not to with their dads, but he had never thought about it as something he and his friends would be. But maybe Scorpius was. He shrugged. "Maybe."

Albus sighed. "Finish your drink. We have an essay due on Monday that I know you haven't finished yet."

"I just need to fix the spelling on it!"

"Yeah, yeah. That's going to take forever, you know that."

"If there is even one spelling mistake, I'll loose a point! And you know I'm trying to get the best grades so--"

"So you can get the apprenticeship with 

"Prat."

"Bookworm."

~~~

James jumped when a book slammed down on the table and an ink stain flowed from the tip of his quill. He swore and vanished it. He looked up, intent on tearing into whoever had dropped the book, but froze. He looked between Norman and Isolde, heart tripping in his chest. "Hi."

Isolde frowned and Norman raised an eyebrow. James swallowed hard. "What's up?"

"You've been avoiding us is what!" Isolde said hotly.

James looked down at his essay and turned the page of the book he was studying. "It isn't as though you need me anymore."

The book was pulled away from him and he threw his quill down. "Give it back."

"Not until you stop being a jerk," Norman said. He set it down on the other side of the table and leaned forward. "What's your problem anyway? Just because we started dating doesn't mean we've stopped being your friend."

James started packing up his supplies. "Doesn't it? I'm sure all you want to do now is snog and see how far you can go without getting caught."

"James Sirius Potter!" Isolde shouted. The few first and seconds years in the room all looked up and then scattered, sensing something was about to happen. "I never thought you would be the kind of crude idiot to suggest such a thing!"

James ignored her, casting a quick drying charm over the parchment. As he lifted it up to roll it, it was snatched out of his hands and his cheek was slapped.

"Now you listen to me," she said, eyes looking a little too wet. "You were and still are my best friend and I cannot even think what I did to deserve your attitude."

He took a deep, stuttered breath. "I--"

"I don't want any more of your excuses," she said. "I just want my best friend back."

"But--" he swallowed hard and looked at Norman over her shoulder. "You two don't need me anymore. You're together now. I'm just...the third wheel."

She sobbed and pulled him in for a tight hug. "You will never be a third wheel, James. Never. You're my best friend and I will never treat you like that."

"I might tell you to get lost so I can get a snog in," Norman said with a smirk.

"Shut up!" Isolde hissed.

Norman winced and James felt something of their old friendship--this, Norman and James acting like idiots and Isolde scolding them--was very familiar. Isolde took a deep breath and lifted her chin. "Now, we're all going down to Hogsmeade, like we used to. Yeah? Because we are still friends first and foremost."

Norman shrugged helplessly at James and James sighed. "All right. Let me just finish here. All right?"

Isolde smiled brightly. "Good."

~~~

"Now we just need to set you up with someone," Norman said cheekily, later as they were sharing a butterbeer. "Don't suppose you fancy anyone?"

James looked at Isolde who seemed far too interested in the subject. No help there then. James shrugged. "Don't think so."

Isolde sighed. "In all of our seven years, are you honestly telling me that there is no one?"

James thought about it, but the person who came to mind was certainly not a student. He blushed and Norman let out a triumphant, 'ha!' It was, of course, the exact moment that Te--Professor Lupin walked in, keeping an eye on the students. James quickly looked at his drink.

Isolde's eyes were wide, having of course caught everything as was her wont. "No!"

"What?" Norman asked, looking between them furiously.

"Not--James, really?" Isolde squeaked and bounced in her seat. "I can't believe it! Goody two shoes James Potter has a crush on--"

"Shut up!" James hissed, reached over to clap a hand over her mouth. "What if he hears?"

"He?" Norman asked. "I am so lost right now."

"Everything all right?" Professor Lupin asked as he walked by.

"Fine!" James said quickly. "Everything is fine."

Professor Lupin raised an eyebrow, but moved on. James let out a heavy breath. Isolde pulled Norman in closer and said, with a giggle, "He has a crush on Professor Lupin!"

Norman's eyes went wide and he turned to James. "But wouldn't that be, like, incest for you? You two grew up together, right?"

James shuddered. "Not really. He's not actually a relative--he's dad's godson."

Norman shook his head and Isolde punched his arm. "It doesn't matter. Besides, it'll be easier, won't it, since all he has to do is visit him under the pretense of asking some brotherly advice? And you'll just oh so innocently dropped something and bend over for it and when he asks what you're doing, you can seduce him."

Norman and James both stared at her. "What do you do in your free time?" Norman asked.

She smirked. "What do you think, James? It's a good plan, isn't it?"

James groaned and buried his face in his hands.

~~~

Will flopped down into the seat next to Scorpius, upsetting the cat--no one was sure who owned the cat or if it was just a stray that lived within the Slytherin dorm room--and scaring it away. Scorpius raised an eyebrow at Will.

"So I heard that you're date with Vanessa was a flop," Will said casually.

Scorpius shrugged. "I just realized that I didn't want to."

Will hummed. "You do know that Albus was very jealous, right?"

Scorpius frowned. "What do you mean?"

Will smirked. "He's been a right downer is what. He got hit with the bludger because you and Vanessa were getting cosy during practice."

"Albus doesn't--"

"Like you like that? I beg to differ. I bet if you asked if you could snog him, he would say yes without thinking about it."

Scorpius shook his head. "You're delusional."

"I dare you to."

"Are we twelve?"

"Just go ask him. It's very simple. Repeat after me--"

Scorpius shoved him. "Will you shut up about it if I do?"

Will nodded. Scorpius sighed. "Fine. I will."

"Now?"

"Seriously?"

"I'll go find him for you."

Scorpius scrambled to pull Will down on the couch. "I'll go. All right?"

Will waved his hand with a smirk and Scorpius shook his head. Last he knew, Albus was in their room studying. Despite his warning, Scorpius had finished checking his essay within a matter of an hour. Albus, on the other hand, had had yet to start it. Since their room was likely to be quiet with their dorm mates either in Hogsmeade or in the library studying, Albus had taken his work upstairs to work on it in quiet.

Scorpius knocked on the open door and smiled. "Getting there?"

Albus sighed. "Almost. Just five more feet." He nudged the parchment with a frown.

Scorpius played with the hem on his robes and shut the door. Albus looked up. "What's wrong?"

Scorpius shrugged, trying to be not be bothered by this or what Will had said. "Nothing. Just...oh, bugger it. Will said you were jealous."

Albus' breath skipped. "Did he?"

"Yeah. Said you got hit with that bludger because you were too busy watching Vanessa and me. And that you would snog me if I asked you to." Scorpius chuckled. "Crazy, isn't he? I said I would ask you to just to prove him wrong." He tilted his head when Albus didn't say anything. "He is, isn't he?"

Albus chuckled softly. "Yeah. Wrong."

Scorpius sat on Albus' bed, shifting aside a book or two. "Albus...do you want to snog me?"

Albus blushed. "What would you do if I said yes?"

Scorpius bit his lip and looked down at the quilt. Albus was his best friend, but Vanessa had said that people assumed they were together and Will had said that Albus was jealous. And Albus seemed to actually mean yes. Scorpius thought about what it would feel like to kiss Albus and his stomach turned over itself, but in a good way.

"That'd be all right," he said eventually.

Albus' shoulders slumped. "Just, all right?"

"Well, yeah."

"You'd say 'that's fine'? Not 'hey, Albus, let's go snog'?"

Oh! Scorpius blushed and looked up through his eyelashes. Albus was watching him intently. Scorpius smirked. "How about a snog?"

Albus beamed and pushed aside his homework. Scorpius thought about how ruined the essay was going to be, but then Albus was lifted his head and then they were kissing and it was kind of weird, but kind of all right, too. And then it got better when Albus' tongue pushed against his lips. Still weird, but definitely good. 

~~~

James knocked on Dad's door and shuffled his feet. When it opened, he half smiled. "Hey, Dad."

Dad smiled. "James! Everything all right?" He opened the door to let James in and led the way over to the sofa.

"Fine," James said. "Kind of, I guess." He cleared his throat. "I talked with Norman and Isolde."

Dad nodded. "Sit, sit. How did that go?"

James sat on the edge and let out a breath. "Good. She slapped me, but that was fine. I deserved it."

"So you're friends again?" Dad asked with a smile.

James nodded. "Yeah. She said that just because they were dating didn't mean that the three of us weren't friends anymore." James took a deep breath. "And I thought about that and I think I owe you an explanation."

Dad took a deep breath. "An explanation?"

"And an apology," James muttered. "I know I haven't been very nice to you or Mr. Malfoy."

"You said something about your mum and I?" Dad asked, leading James and not being at all helpful.

James groaned under his breath. "I'm sorry. I just...things changed so suddenly and I never once thought you and Mum wouldn't be together? Then suddenly you're getting divorced and Mum's moved out as Draco and Scorpius move in and--"

"You said you were fine with everything," Dad said. He sounded hurt and James felt worse. "We--your mum and I, Draco--we asked all of you kids if it was all right."

In separate meetings, of course, but James knew what Dad meant. He let out a breath. "I know. And I was. Mostly."

"So what changed?"

"Nothing, I guess."

"I'm afraid I don't understand, James."

James slumped back into the sofa. "I don't think I do either."

Dad moved over and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "A lot of things have been changing lately. It isn't easy, to have so much changing at once. Yeah?"

James nodded.

"I guess I should apologize, too. I haven't been there as often as I should have been."

"No, Dad, it's fine. It's not like I don't know where your office is."

Dad nodded. "So. Is there anything you want to talk about?"

James shrugged. "I dunno. Not really, I guess."

"All right then. Just know that I'm here if you ever want to."

"Thanks."

~~~

Harry smiled as he closed the door behind James and left for the room behind his office. Draco looked up from the Murauder's Map with a smirk. "I think you're sleeping on the sofa tonight."

Harry frowned and rounded the desk. Draco pointed gleefully at the two pairs of feet set together that only ever meant one thing. Harry groaned. "I thought for sure--"

Draco folded the map and tapped it with his wand. "You thought wrong. So, shall I have the house elves bring you a spare blanket and pillow?"

Harry smirked and leaned foward. "Wouldn't you rather have something else as your prize?"

Draco sat back in the chair and looked Harry up and down, slowly and measuringly. "What do you have mind?"

~~~

James knocked on Ted's door, wanting to let Ted know that everything had been sorted. The door opened, but rather than the excited greeting from before, Ted looked rushed. His shirt was untucked and his hair was grey and limp.

"Bad time?" James asked.

Ted smiled tiredly and opened the door further. "Not much. Just a spot of trouble in Hogsmeade. It happens, apparently."

James nodded. Ted ran a hand through his hair. "Anything wrong? It's just--"

James blushed. "I just wanted to let you know that everything is fine. I apologized to my friends and Dad."

Ted smiled. "Good. I'm glad for you."

James cleared his throat. "I guess I'll just go now, then. Since you seem tired."

Ted shook his head and began rummaging through his desk. "It's fine, it's fine. I just know now why the other teachers were laughing at me when I was put on the first roster for chaperoning the trip."

"I didn't think the students were that bad."

Ted pulled out two tea bags and a pot. "Tea?"

James shrugged and Ted filled the pot with water. A quick tap of his wand and it was whistling. As it steeped, James shuffled his feet. All his enthusiasm had been drained and Ted seemed a little lost. His hair had lightened up a bit, though, so James supposed that it had been all right that he had visited. In the silence, his conversation with Isolde and Norman resurfaced in his mind and he blushed a little.

Ted apparently also remembered the conversation. "What were you and your friends talking about anyway in Hogsmeade?"

James smiled weakly. "They were joking around, trying to get me set up with someone."

Ted chuckled. "So do they have a list of potential partners set up? A blind study date next weekend?"

The image of the kind of studying James would like to do floated to the surface in his mind. "Ah, no."

Ted narrowed his eyes. "Really? Are they planning to set you up with your crush?"

"No! Don't have a crush actually."

Ted raised an eyebrow. "At your age? No crush?"

James swallowed hard. "No, no crush."

Ted hummed and looked away, thoughtful. "And yet surely I could have sworn that you were trying to keep something quiet as I passed by your table."

James' eyes widened and he jumped up. "Just remembered that I have a test to study for. I should get on that."

As he turned, Ted grabbed his hand. "James."

James bit his lip and looked over. "Ted?"

Ted gently tugged James back down, though closer together than before. "Who's your crush?"

James blushed and looked down at his lap. "Someone not appropriate."

"Ah. A teacher?" James nodded. "Well, that's not quite surprising. But who could it be, I wonder?"

James pulled his hand out of Ted's. "It's no big deal. It's just a crush, all right?"

"I think it rather is." Ted put his hand on James' thigh. "Because it's me, isn't it?"

James' face was hot all over and his thigh tingled where Ted was touching it. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Ted asked, incredulous. "It's harmless."

Harmless was certainly not what he wanted to be doing with Ted. James swallowed hard. "S-sure."

Ted lifted James' face and smirked. "Not harmless, then." He licked his lips. "Do you know that I used to fancy you, too? That was the worst for me. Because you were three years younger than me! Couldn't help it, though. I wanted you and bad."

James took a deep breath. "Yeah?"

"Want me to show you?"

James nodded and Ted leaned in. James closed his eyes and held his breath as Ted kissed him.

~~~

Harry's eyebrows furrowed as Teddy sat down to dinner. His hair was mussed and lips were swollen. "And who have you been snogging?"

Teddy blushed. "No one special."

"Leave him alone," Draco said. "Though it does seem like everyone is getting some today."

Teddy frowned at them. "What do you mean?"

Harry pointed at the Slytherin table where Albus and Scorpius had practically merged into one person. They were oblivious to the looks they were getting, including those from Ms. Thomas' friends. 

Teddy smirked. "So you're sleeping on the sofa tonight?"

Harry coughed and Draco smirked. "We'll see."

Teddy cleared his throat. "More than I wanted to know."

"Looks like James found someone," Draco said thoughtfully.

Harry blinked as he watched his oldest child join his friends amoungst teasing. Teddy shifted in the seat next to him. "Good for him. Maybe he won't feel so left out now."

"Teddy?" Harry asked quietly.

Teddy twitched. "Harry?" 

Harry looked at his godson--who was pointedly looking at his plate--and then at James who was shyly looking at the head table. "Do you know who James was kissing?"

Teddy shook his head. "Nope."

Draco chuckled at his plate and Harry cut his eyes to Draco. Draco smirked. "James left your office and went to see Ted."

Harry's eyes widened as he looked back at Teddy. Teddy's own eyes were pinched closed. "He might have."

Harry groaned. "Teddy--"

"We just snogged, honestly," Teddy said quickly. "And that's it. That's all."

"You're a teacher now!" Harry said hotly.

Teddy swallowed hard. "I suppose this is the part where I say it'll never happen again?"

"Damn straight it is," Harry said. "And it better stay that way."

"James may have a thing or two to say on the subject," Draco said. He sighed and put his hand on Harry's thigh. "Calm down. I trust Ted to not take it further than is appropriate." He leaned closer and whispered in Harry's ear, "And you better let them be or you _will_ find out that there are worse things than sleeping on the sofa."

Harry swallowed hard. Teddy let out a breath and sent a wink toward James who was watching the three of them avidly. He calmed a bit, but still looked tense. Harry shook his head. "Don't you think about hurting him."

"Promise," Teddy said. "I'll probably hurt myself before I ever hurt him."

Harry hummed thoughtfully. Draco's hand tightened on his thigh. 

"It seems that your boys are carrying on a fine tradition," Mcgonagal said, smirking down the table at Harry and Draco. "I believe Madame Pomfrey will be offering Scorpius an apprenticeship at the end of the year."

"He'll be very excited," Draco said with a smile.

"Will Albus be ready to be a Quidditch coach?" Mcgonagal asked.

"If it means he gets to stay here," Harry said.

Mcgonagal nodded. "Good."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. He and Draco would remain here in their respective positions, Albus and Scorpius would take over two other positions, and Teddy and James would be only an hour away. All of them nearby. He half smiled and put his hand over Draco's where it rested on his thigh. Draco raised a questioning eyebrow.

Harry shrugged. "Everyone's home."

Draco smiled softly and nodded. Home.


End file.
